The Vesak Full Moon Poya Day, which commemorates three special events in the life of Lord Buddha, namely, the birth, enlightenment and attaining supreme nibbana, which falls on 26 May this year, is celebrated with great devotion by the people.
Religious observances as well as Vesak lanterns, pandals and dansals can be seen during the month of Vesak, but due to the Easter Sunday bombings in 2019 and the Covid-19 pandemic which is spreading at present, Sri Lankans will not be able to celebrate Vesak as usual.
Also, Vesak is a festival celebrated not only by Sri Lankan Buddhists, but also by Buddhists around the world. So the Sunday Observer had a look as to how Vesak is celebrated in different countries around the world.
According to Dr. Gunapala Malalasekera, a scholar of the Pali language, 129 delegates representing 27 Buddhist countries around the world formed the World Fellowship of Buddhists in Colombo in the year 1950 with the aim of formalising the Vesak festival celebrated by Buddhists in many countries for centuries.
When the fellowship was formed, the king of Nepal was offered with gratitude for designating Vesak Poya as a public holiday.
Leaders of all countries were requested to declare Vesak Poya Day as a public holiday in honour of Lord Buddha who made a great contribution to world peace. In 1999, for the first time, a Vesak Festival was organised at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters to mark the International Vesak Poya Day.
Vesak, which has been celebrated since the spread of Buddhism beyond India, is known by different names in different countries and the manner in which it is celebrated varies from country to country.
Japan
Japanese Vesak, celebrated during the Sakura flowering season, is also referred to as the ‘Hana-Matsuri’ (flower festival). It is usually celebrated on 8 April and based on the legend that on the day of the Lord Buddha’s birth, a dragon appeared in the sky and bathed him in a drink called ‘Soma’ made of the extract of an unidentified plant.
Compared to other Japanese festivals, Vesak, a quiet festival, has a shrine with a Buddha image in front of each temple and is adorned with colorful flowers by devotees.
Also, a statue of Prince Siddhartha is bathed in a medicinal tea made of the hydrangea plant known as ‘Amacha’. The Japanese also build a replica of a white elephant on a chariot to symbolise the white baby elephant dreamt of by Queen Mahamaya.
Thailand
The main event of the Vesak Festival in Thailand is the Vihara Pradakshina which is held at around 7.30 p.m. on the Vesak Poya day.
Here, the monks and devotees walk around the temples with candles and lamps to pay homage to the Lord Buddha. Then they place them in regular places to worship the Buddha. After that they go home at around 12 midnight listening to special chantings.
Nepal
Nepal’s Vesak Festival, also known as ‘Buddha Jayanthi’, is celebrated in grand style in Lumbini, the birthplace of the Lord Buddha, and at the Swayambhu Temple, one of the holiest temples in Nepal. Vesak Poya Day, a popular holiday in Nepal, attracts a large number of devotees to the Swayambhu Vihara, which is the only day when the main entrance to the temple is opened.
Vesak in Nepal is more of a national festival than a religious festival because it is celebrated by non- Buddhists as well. Almost everyone goes to the temple in the morning and offers lamps, rice, money and flowers while various blessings are offered in the temples throughout the day.
South Korea
In South Korea, Vesak is known as ‘Soggaya Tanshin’, meaning the birthday of the Lord Buddha. It is the 8th day of the Korean lunar calendar and has been declared a public holiday.
The Lotus Lantern Festival is considered to be the highlight of Vesak, the largest cultural festival in South Korea. This custom is believed to have begun about 1,500 years ago. Lanterns are made in almost every house to match the number of members in the house. In the evening, the lanterns are lit and many people join in the procession carrying the lanterns.
On the Vesak Poya day, many temples in South Korea serve breakfast and lunch to their devotees.
Indonesia
The Indonesian Vesak Poya Day, also known as ‘Vaisak’, is celebrated in a grand manner at the Borobudur Temple in Java. Thousands of Buddhist monks gather there to chant and meditate on the Pirith and walk around the temple performing a ritual called ‘Pradakshina’.
In addition, monks fill pots with water to symbolise the Lord Buddha’s humility, and carry flames from one place to another, symbolising the enlightenment of the Lord Buddha. It is also common in Indonesia for monks to pay Pindapatha visits on Vesak Day. Vesak has been a public holiday in Indonesia since 1983.
Singapore
The first part of the Singapore Vesak Festival, which begins with Buddhists gathering at temples early in the morning, is the observation of Pansil and the chanting of Pirith. After that the Buddhist flag will be hoisted.
Devotees who visit the temples offer flowers, candles and incense to the statues of Lord Buddha, signifying the end of everything as well as life. In addition, blood donation, food for the poor and the release of caged animals can also be seen. In the evening, almost all the streets in Singapore are lit by candles. The most important ritual of the Singapore Vesak festival is the bathing of the Lord Buddha. Although this is somewhat similar to the Japanese custom, the bathing of the Buddha statues here is done with pure water. It is also common in Singapore to decorate the pond where the Buddha statue is kept with flowers.
Burma
Vesak is celebrated by Burmese Buddhists on the full moon day of the second month of the traditional Burmese calendar and is a public holiday. Giving alms to Buddhist monks can be seen and Vesak is celebrated with virtuous meditation and the release of fish and birds from cages.
Nyaungye- thun or “Bodhi tree water pouring festival” is another traditional festival on Vesak day in Burma. This is meant for the devotees to pour fragrant water on the Bo trees so that the trees would not die during the summer season.
